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5 Books That Got Me Into Reading

Hello. It has been a long time since I posted, so I figured I might as well type something down to post to avoid my blog being so dusty. It's dusty enough because I haven't blog-walk at all for weeks. Maybe I did visit some of my must-visit-everyday blogs once in every 2 weeks but I didn't leave any comment or trace because I was just too busy. Huh. The courtesy of being a high school student.

Books play a huge part in my growing up. The books I read change a lot of how I see the world, how I see people, how I treat people, how I see myself, or simply said, everything. I thank these books for existing because if not because of these books, I might not be into reading as I am right now. I should also thank my town library for having these books.

Most of the books I include in this list are the books I read during my secondary school years because they are the books that got me really really into reading.

1. 10 Things I Hate About Me - Randa Abdel Fattah

Fun fact: I snuck this out from someone else's (a very close someone else) house just to read it. I didn't steal it, I already put it back where it belonged. I was to embarrassed to borrow this book because I already borrowed a lot of comics from the owner and I snuck this out when I borrowed some books. The cover of the book that I read wasn't like the cover above, tho. I read this when I was 11 and it took me quite long to finish this book because back then I wasn't really good in English. What this book is about: It is about Jamie, a teenage girl from Sydney’s south west who lives two lives: at school and in the outside world she is ‘Jamie’, a bottle-blonde with an apparently Anglo Aussie background; at home she is ‘Jamilah’ a Lebanese-Muslim who is proud of her cultural identity. Jamie struggles to maintain her two personas as the rules of her over-protective father collide with the normal adolescence she perceives other teenagers to have and which she so desires. (source: goodreads)I didn't give this book 5 stars, it wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was the first book, that is in English and more than 100 pages I read in my whole life. I guess I owed this book this much.2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

This book is amazing. I read this when I was 14, and it changed my life and how I see things. I saw a lot of good reviews of this book, so when I found this in the town library (after years not going there), I renewed my library card and borrowed this. Even until now, this book is one of the books I borrow so often from the library because I love it. It is very dear to my heart and I've been wanting to have my own copy of this book for so long now.

What this book is about: Charlie is a freshman.

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. (source: goodreads)

3. How To Fall In Love - Cecelia Ahern

Basically, every books that are in this post are the books that available in my town library and the books are really limited. There are a lot of books, a lot of interesting books, but for me they aren't enough. Hence, the first book of Cecelia Ahern I read was How To Fall In Love. Ever since I read this book, I fell in love with her writing. I read this in November 2015, while I was 'camping' at Imbak Canyon. While I was reading this book, I couldn't get my eyes off this book, because it was really good. The book contains some quotes that I really love, but my favorite one was:

“Where would we be without tomorrows? What we’d have instead are todays. And if that was the case, with you, I’d hope for the longest day for today. I’d fill today with you, doing everything I’ve ever loved. I’d laugh, I’d talk, I’d listen and learn, I’d love, I’d love, I’d love. I’d make every day today and spend them all with you, and I’d never worry about tomorrow, when I wouldn’t be with you. And when that dreaded tomorrow comes for us, please know that I didn’t want to leave you, or be left behind, that every single moment spent with you were the best times in my life.”

This book was bizarre, beautifully written and very interesting. I'm serious. I couldn't get off this book because every words, every lines, every chapters, left me wanting more and feeling curious about what's next. This book also open a new door in the reading world I just knew back then, since it introduced me to a new genre than just sci-fi, contemporary or romance. I know magical realism from this book and I'm glad that I've been given a chance to know the genre.

What this book is about: Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration. (source: goodreads)

5. Just One Day - Gayle Forman

Just One Day is one of my absolute favorites. Not just my love towards Europe started when I read this book, but also towards Shakespeare's works. Before this book, obviously, I was only interested on Shakespeare's famous masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet. Forgive me, Shakespeare, for I have sinned. I don't even like it that much, since it was too lovey dovey. Plus, I'm not a strong believer of love at the first sight. After I read this book, I started to look forward for Shakespeare's other masterpieces. It was a torture to read the plays, I suddenly become illiterate when I touch his pieces.

What this book is about: Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life. (source: goodreads)

Fin. The end. I probably will post another entry next year. Thank you for staying with me until the end. Goodbye.

21 comments

I remember I used to read tons of Malay books and gradually moved to the English ones as I got older. But I never got into the thick-English-young adult-novels phase 'cos my English vocab haven't improved much since I was in highschool. So reading those thick novels would take years hahaha

Not to brag but I learned English at sekolah pondok back in my dad's hometown, where I found an english book. I stole it haha because it belongs to nobody so that is the first book that got me into reading. I only own 1 book from Cecelia Ahern which is The Book of Tomorrow but I haven't read it yet.

That's the thing, I don't remember the title but it was pastel pink and about 60-80 pages thick. I got told off for stealing that book but the owner later gifted it to me. So embarassing but such a great memory on my first book. I just finished read Grace by Richard Paul Evans and sobbing hard, I guess my next read would be that Cecelia Ahern book. Btw I hit that follow button cos I couldn't get enough of your blog content 😊

Hahaha it was a great first-book-memory, though. I quickly searched Grace after I saw this comment, and now it's on my TBR-list; I love Christmas books/movies/whatever! Most of Cecelia Ahern's works are (cheerful?) so it might relieve the aftereffect of tearjerk book.

I seriously love your blog and I have been admiring from afar! <3 the book that got me into reading is STILL my favorite book by now. It's For One More Day by Mitch Albom. I read it when I was about eleven or something and now I'm sixteen. I bought it from my school's library but being me, I am not satisfied if I don't get to own something THAT good. So I bought another one when I was thirteen or something. Haha. The book is about a broken man who lost everything in his life including his wife and his daughter (the daughter didn't invite him to her wedding because she was scared he might be an embarrassment to her) and he decided to commit suicide. That was when he went into a car crash on purpose, but he didn't die. Instead, he went on coma and he got to meet his dead mother again, spending another one day with her as he explained everything in such details (which makes everything much interesting!) The story was actually written by her daughter, who came back to search for her father and in the meantime, he told her this story. I don't know if you have read it or not, but it's basically a book that changed my life. Happy blogging and just know that I'm loving your blog, dear!

Aww, thank you! I feel so flattered and I really appreciate this. I'm glad you love my blog although the contents are not so superb hew hew. I love Mitch Albom! The first book I read written by him was The First Phone Call from Heaven and it was amazing. His imagination is really impressive and magical. For One More Day sounds great, I will totally give it a try :)

*brought. How is it possible to buy books from library? Lol, pardon me!Anyway, Mitch Albom is such a great writer, right? I have read The First Phone Call From Heaven too! It's so good, for real. . . You know what, most of the books I have been planning to read are all from your lists and reviews. Thank you for that!

Yup. 10 cents each day and I often keep the books for months (what was I thinking) When the librarian told me so, I thought I was going to die there. Luckily it was only the first warning but I've never borrow any book from the library anymore.

Thanks for tagging me! The post hasn't fully done yet so it's going to be a little bit late :)

I've been wanting to read Roald Dahl's books for so long! They are really amazing, I heard :)

Maybe the TPOBAW movie would be a bit less boring for you. I read the book when I was 14, so I didn't care much about the writing style in this book. But maybe if I read the book today, I wouldn't find the book so interesting too.

Library is probably one of my favorite places in the whole world, I get a little too overwhelmed whenever I go to library. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is great! I really recommend it. Plus, the book cover is beautiful :)

Back in my childhood I dont red many english books, mostly in malay, deeply in malay, that classic kuno book was used to be my cuppa tea. haha. Your post remind me all the good book that stuck me into book worm since then. ^^

I remember you commented the same thing (that you're a bit skeptical towards romance book) long long ago. Majority of Cecelia's books that I've read have happy endings but the plots, the conflicts are sometimes frustrating.

Your post reminds me of my childhood memories, which means dearly lot to me. My parents used to bring me(often) and my siblings to MPH and spent time there. What i loved about MPH during that time was it provided a podium-like place nearby the children book shelves(approximately in the middle of the store i guess, pardon me if it is wrong), so kids(including me, of course) will be able to pick the books they like and read it first before deciding which are worth to buy for. It was fun indeed. Regarding the first book that turned me into a genuine book worm is JK Rowling masterpiece- Harry Potter series. I was way feeling awe-struck and mesmerized with the story line even i when i have finished reading it. The books combined many scopes of life, stressing on the value of friendship and the holy meaning of sacrifice and love.

welcome to my blog!

Nabila || Hello and welcome to my little crib. I share about things that interest me; books, music, lifestyle, etc. I'm currently on a hiatus to focus on my SPM. For any inquiries, email me at: fifaeiela@gmail.com